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Mark Minasi
Chief cook and bottle washer
USA
10658 Posts
Status: offline |
 Posted - 08/24/2011 : 3:56:29 PM
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Virtual machine snapshots are so great -- a "Giant Undo" for an entire system, rolling back gigabytes of changes in just a minute or two. Wouldn't it be great to have that for PHYSICAL machines? Folks running learning labs, public-access PCs in libraries, and kiosks are just three applications that come to mind.
Microsoft used to give away a tool like that called SteadyState but they don't any more, and never DID build it for Windows 7. I've been tinkering with this for a year and some in my spare time and I think it's about ready to release.
I call it "Steadier State."<g>
Based on five Windows 6/7 technologies, Steadier State lets you set up a PC so that you essentially "take a snapshot" of it, then let the students/patrons/users/whatever go to town on the thing. Then, when you need to undo everything they've done, just tell them to reboot. The Windows Boot Manager then presents two options:
Windows 7
Roll Back Windows
Choose "Roll Back Windows," press Enter and walk away. Three or four minutes later, the system has rebooted, and every change has been rolled back.
I'd love for you guys to give it a shot, if it sounds interesting. It's free of course and it's here:
http://www.steadierstate.com
Can't wait to hear what you think. Thanks!
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Mark
tweetin' at mminasi |
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netmarcos
Honorable But Hopeless Addict
USA
2219 Posts
Status: offline |
Posted - 08/24/2011 : 4:30:59 PM
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| I can't wait to get this rolling in my lab. Will let you know how it goes. If well, I will unleash it on my family. |
Mark M. Webster
Genius may have its limitations, but stupidity is not thus handicapped. - Elbert Hubbard
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DennisMCSE
Moderator
Canada
2400 Posts
Status: offline |
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Curt
Moderator
USA
6652 Posts
Status: offline |
Posted - 08/24/2011 : 5:15:58 PM
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Wow Mark. Your an ISV!!!!! When's the IPO?
We will check this out, bud.
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Curt Spanburgh
Microsoft Certified Business Solution Specialist.
Dynamics CRM MVP
Contributing Editor, Windows IT Pro
He that is walking with wise persons will become wise, but he that is having dealings with the stupid ones will fare badly.
Proverbs 13:20
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chamezzzz
Honorable But Hopeless Addict
United Kingdom
2298 Posts
Status: offline |
Posted - 08/24/2011 : 5:18:02 PM
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Mark,
Thanks, I have six physical laptops used for training, this could be just what I need.
Just need to find time to test it now.
Many thanks!
EDIT - Should add - No Win7 Pro - don't think this is a problem for me but you need Win 7 Enterprise or Ultimate for this tool to work.
There are other requirements and a neat walk through in the Powerpoint Read Me. |
James |
Edited by - chamezzzz on 08/24/2011 5:22:46 PM |
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Mark Minasi
Chief cook and bottle washer
USA
10658 Posts
Status: offline |
Posted - 08/24/2011 : 6:31:08 PM
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Yes, the Pro thing is DAMNED annoying, as the only sticking point is that Microsoft blocks Pro from doing boot-from-VHD. It actually starts doing it and then stops cold with a "license violation" message.
Then again, I've not really TRIED it since SP1. Who knows, maybe it won't block the behavior any more. |
Mark
tweetin' at mminasi |
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JSCLMEDAVE
Administrator
USA
6116 Posts
Status: offline |
Posted - 08/24/2011 : 7:03:55 PM
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| Is this the Roll It Back you were talking about..? |
Tim-
“This too shall pass" |
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Playwell
Honorable But Hopeless Addict
Netherlands
4822 Posts
Status: offline |
Posted - 08/24/2011 : 7:54:23 PM
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| Brilliant |
'People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do. '
Quote by Isaac Asimov
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Mark Minasi
Chief cook and bottle washer
USA
10658 Posts
Status: offline |
Posted - 08/25/2011 : 1:12:53 PM
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Hi Tim --
Yes, it is. I'd been struggling with what to call it and was talking to a friend about it a lunch when it came to me. Got online and found that steadierstate.com was still available, so I took it a sign! I hope you'll give it a try. |
Mark
tweetin' at mminasi |
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JSCLMEDAVE
Administrator
USA
6116 Posts
Status: offline |
Posted - 08/25/2011 : 1:40:13 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Mark Minasi
Hi Tim --
Yes, it is. I'd been struggling with what to call it and was talking to a friend about it a lunch when it came to me. Got online and found that steadierstate.com was still available, so I took it a sign! I hope you'll give it a try.
Absolutely!! I have been sending the links to everyone I could think of. Fantastic tool and I need to pass on the thanks from my colleagues for you donating your time and efforts to make this available.
I have also been sending them your links for the 2008 R2 CDs. <g>
Thanks Mark!
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Tim-
“This too shall pass" |
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williamsjohn
Welcome Newcomer
1 Posts
Status: offline |
Posted - 09/07/2011 : 06:55:26 AM
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| Great Mark Nice Share |
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Jazzy
Administrator
Netherlands
1932 Posts
Status: offline |
Posted - 09/07/2011 : 07:47:53 AM
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quote:
Got online and found that steadierstate.com was still available
Crap, I was just about to purchase that domain name to host my personal blog. :( |
Jetze Mellema
Exchange specialist
Former MVP (2005-2012)
My blog: http://jetzemellema.blogspot.com (Dutch)
My company: http://www.imara-ict.nl/ |
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glenn_faustino
Old Timer
Philippines
435 Posts
Status: offline |
Posted - 09/07/2011 : 11:33:42 AM
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Mark,
This is really cool, thanks for sharing.
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Mark Minasi
Chief cook and bottle washer
USA
10658 Posts
Status: offline |
Posted - 09/17/2011 : 8:19:09 PM
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| Jrtze, don't sweat it; I'll sell it for a reasonable six figure amount. Welcome, John, and thanks, Glenn! |
Mark
tweetin' at mminasi |
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ZeroK_Remaining
Welcome Newcomer
USA
1 Posts
Status: offline |
Posted - 03/05/2012 : 2:14:27 PM
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Just ran across this SteadierState application referenced from Newletter #94 (which curiously doesn't include SteadierState when I looked today)
Has the Pro version caveat been handled since SP1? |
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Mark Minasi
Chief cook and bottle washer
USA
10658 Posts
Status: offline |
Posted - 03/11/2012 : 3:38:40 PM
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| No, it's a marketing decision by Microsoft... Pro won't boot VHDs. Dumb. |
Mark
tweetin' at mminasi |
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Pesos
Honorable But Hopeless Addict
USA
3505 Posts
Status: offline |
Posted - 04/17/2012 : 8:03:27 PM
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| Bummer! We have a lab that could really use this but it's a small place so no domain - therefore no Enteprise. |
-Wes |
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Pesos
Honorable But Hopeless Addict
USA
3505 Posts
Status: offline |
Posted - 04/17/2012 : 8:04:58 PM
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| I just re-searched and it appears that you can actually activate Enterprise via MAK? If so, that is good news! |
-Wes |
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Mark Minasi
Chief cook and bottle washer
USA
10658 Posts
Status: offline |
Posted - 07/09/2012 : 11:27:57 AM
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| I always thought they went together, unless I misunderstand what you're saying, Wes. |
Mark
tweetin' at mminasi |
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Pesos
Honorable But Hopeless Addict
USA
3505 Posts
Status: offline |
Posted - 07/09/2012 : 12:16:49 PM
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| For some reason I was under the impression that Enterprise required KMS for activation... Not sure where I got that idea! |
-Wes |
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Mark Minasi
Chief cook and bottle washer
USA
10658 Posts
Status: offline |
Posted - 07/09/2012 : 2:38:48 PM
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| MAK's a pain and so most folks ignore it, which is probably why you had that impression. It'll be interesting to see if Win 8 Pro can do boot from VHD. |
Mark
tweetin' at mminasi |
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samuni3
Welcome Newcomer
4 Posts
Status: offline |
Posted - 09/21/2012 : 11:15:44 AM
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Thanks for a great utility! The only issue I'm running up against is using Steadier State on a computer (Lenovo laptop) that is part of an active directory domain. When we roll back we have a broken trust relationship with the domain. What have I done wrong?
-Sam |
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Pesos
Honorable But Hopeless Addict
USA
3505 Posts
Status: offline |
Posted - 09/21/2012 : 11:48:36 AM
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| Hmm I haven't deployed SS in a domain yet (just did another lab yesterday with brand new dell all-in-ones - awesome!). I assume you're doing a vhd merge after joining the machines to the domain? |
-Wes |
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samuni3
Welcome Newcomer
4 Posts
Status: offline |
Posted - 09/21/2012 : 12:15:16 PM
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No, I haven't done that step (vhd merge). At what point should I insert that into my procedure?
Thanks! |
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Pesos
Honorable But Hopeless Addict
USA
3505 Posts
Status: offline |
Posted - 09/21/2012 : 12:23:55 PM
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| If you haven't merged your changes... Then I assume that when you roll back you are rolling back to a state before joining the domain??? |
-Wes |
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Topic |
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Announcing... Steadier State!
